Lawsuit Against Chiefs Player Claims 'Escalation in Violent Behavior'

Dacoda Jones is seeking more than $1M, alleging Rashee Rice assaulted her for more than a year
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 19, 2026 7:45 AM CST
Ex-GF Sues Chiefs Player, Alleges Year-Plus of Assault
Rashee Rice speaks during a news conference on Nov. 23, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri.   (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, file)

The former girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice alleges in a lawsuit filed this week that he physically assaulted her multiple times over a year and a half, causing injuries that included bleeding and bruising. The lawsuit filed Monday in Dallas County, Texas, by Dacoda Jones comes after she made domestic violence allegations in a series of social media posts last month, per the AP. She's seeking more than $1 million in the complaint, which says the assaults happened at the couple's homes in Dallas and suburban Kansas City, Missouri.

In her suit, Jones accuses Rice of strangling her in December 2023 after an "escalation in violent behavior" and that he continued to assault her over the course of their relationship, through July 2025. Jones' attorney didn't immediately respond to a question from the AP on whether police had ever been called related to these incidents. The lawsuit said Rice has "grabbed, choked, strangled, pushed, thrown, scratched, hit, and headbutted" Jones, in addition to hitting her with objects. The lawsuit said Rice has also thrown objects, punched walls, and broken furniture, and that many of these incidents happened when Jones, who has two children with Rice, was pregnant.

Jones' injuries have included "bleeding, swelling, bruising, and other pain and physical injury," according to the lawsuit. Agents listed for Rice didn't immediately return calls from the AP on Wednesday. An attorney for Rice also didn't respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. The Chiefs said they were aware of the lawsuit and remain in communication with the NFL; the NFL said the matter remains under review.

Rice missed the first six games of last season following an NFL suspension for his role in a high-speed crash on a Dallas highway that left multiple people injured during the 2024 offseason. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years' probation after pleading guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. Rice finished with 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

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